This is the first picture of a new £4.3million sports centre to be built in Maida Vale.

The Little Venice Sports Centre, to be constructed on the site of the old Crompton Street Children's Sports Centre, in Crompton Street, is set to open in spring next year.

When completed, the building will feature a sports hall with four badminton courts, a dance and exercise studio and a 30-station gym for users with physical and learning disabilities.

There will also be an IT training area with cameras to monitor people as they exercise, to help identify how they should train better.

The roof of the Little Venice Sports Centre will be made of green sedum, a type of grass which absorbs carbon dioxide emissions and acts as insulation to keep the centre warm in winter and cool in summer. It will also act as a sound barrier, to cut down on noise from the centre's users.

Westminster Council is partly funding the scheme, along with £1.6m from Sport England, Skills Active, Big Lottery Fund and John Lyon's Charity Trust.

Cabinet member for communities and neighbourhoods Cllr Audrey Lewis said the new centre would become 'The Centre of Excellence for Physical Activity'.

She added: "It will focus on training, education and developing coaches, volunteers and staff within the sport and leisure centre. We want to eradicate health inequalities in Westminster and this centre will provide residents, schools and businesses access to first-class sports and leisure facilities."